[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4189 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4189

   To establish youth advisory councils for the purpose of providing 
 recommendations to the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of 
  the Interior, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, and 
 Department of Commerce with respect to environmental issues as those 
      issues relate to youth communities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 18, 2024

Ms. Butler (for herself and Mr. Markey) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish youth advisory councils for the purpose of providing 
 recommendations to the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of 
  the Interior, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, and 
 Department of Commerce with respect to environmental issues as those 
      issues relate to youth communities, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Youth Climate Leadership Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Covered agency head.--The term ``covered agency head'' 
        means each of the following heads of agencies:
                    (A) The Administrator of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency.
                    (B) The Secretary of the Interior.
                    (C) The Secretary of Energy.
                    (D) The Secretary of Agriculture.
                    (E) The Secretary of Commerce.
            (2) Designated federal officer.--The term ``designated 
        Federal officer'' means the designated Federal officer for a 
        Youth Advisory Council appointed under section 3(b)(6).
            (3) Disadvantaged community.--The term ``disadvantaged 
        community'' means a community identified as a disadvantaged 
        community by the Justice40 Initiative (or a successor 
        initiative) and the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool 
        of the Council on Environmental Quality (or a successor tool).
            (4) Environmental justice.--The term ``environmental 
        justice'' means the just treatment and meaningful involvement 
        of all people, without regard to income, race, color, national 
        origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency 
        decisionmaking and other Federal activities that affect human 
        health and the environment so that people--
                    (A) are fully protected from disproportionate and 
                adverse human health and environmental effects 
                (including risks) and hazards, including those related 
                to climate change, the cumulative impacts of 
                environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of 
                racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and
                    (B) have equitable access to a healthy, 
                sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live 
                and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.
            (5) Youth advisory council.--The term ``Youth Advisory 
        Council'' means a Youth Advisory Council established by a 
        covered agency head pursuant to section 3(a).

SEC. 3. YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCILS.

    (a) Establishment.--Each covered agency head shall establish within 
the respective agency of the covered agency head a Youth Advisory 
Council for the purpose of providing recommendations to the applicable 
covered agency head with respect to governmental approaches to 
environmental issues as those issues relate to youth, including--
            (1) recommendations with respect to programs to help the 
        governments of disadvantaged communities address environmental 
        issues in those disadvantaged communities;
            (2) recommendations with respect to performance measures 
        that could be used to measure the impact of climate change and 
        other environmental harms that affect youth communities; and
            (3) researching, writing reports on, and making 
        recommendations with a focus on environmental justice, climate 
        change mitigation and resiliency, and pollution reduction.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Size.--A Youth Advisory Council shall consist of not 
        fewer than 15, and not greater than 25, representative members 
        of non-Federal interests that have demonstrated high levels of 
        knowledge and expertise in environmental issues, to be 
        appointed by the applicable covered agency head.
            (2) Requirements.--
                    (A) Age.--A member of a Youth Advisory Council 
                shall have an age, at the time of appointment or 
                reappointment under paragraph (4), of not less than 16 
                years and not more than 29 years.
                    (B) Geographic diversity required.--A covered 
                agency head shall seek to ensure that members of a 
                Youth Advisory Council are from geographically diverse 
                locations across the United States.
                    (C) Consideration of backgrounds.--
                            (i) In general.--In selecting members of a 
                        Youth Advisory Council, a covered agency head 
                        shall consider candidates with varying 
                        backgrounds, including--
                                    (I) business and industry;
                                    (II) academic institutions;
                                    (III) State, local, and Tribal 
                                governments;
                                    (IV) public interest groups;
                                    (V) environmental organizations; 
                                and
                                    (VI) service groups.
                            (ii) Requirement.--Of the members of a 
                        Youth Advisory Council, not more than 60 
                        percent may come from any 1 category described 
                        in clause (i).
                    (D) Representation of disadvantaged communities.--
                Of the members of a Youth Advisory Council, not less 
                than 50 percent shall come from, reside primarily in, 
                or work primarily in disadvantaged communities.
                    (E) Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility 
                considerations.--In selecting members of a Youth 
                Advisory Council, a covered agency head shall consider 
                diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, in 
                accordance with Executive Order 14035 (42 U.S.C. 2000e 
                note; relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and 
                accessibility in the Federal workforce).
            (3) Term.--A member of a Youth Advisory Council shall serve 
        for a term of 2 years.
            (4) Reappointment.--A covered agency head may reappoint 
        members of a Youth Advisory Council to that Youth Advisory 
        Council.
            (5) Vacancies.--A vacancy in a Youth Advisory Council--
                    (A) shall not affect the powers of the Youth 
                Advisory Council; and
                    (B) shall be filled in the same manner as the 
                original appointment.
            (6) Designated federal officer.--Each covered agency head 
        shall appoint a full-time employee of the agency of the covered 
        agency head to serve as the designated Federal officer for the 
        applicable Youth Advisory Council.
            (7) Co-chairpersons; vice-chairpersons.--Each covered 
        agency head shall, from among the members of the applicable 
        Youth Advisory Council, appoint 2 co-chairpersons and 2 vice-
        chairpersons.
    (c) Meetings.--
            (1) Frequency.--A Youth Advisory Council shall meet at the 
        call of the applicable designated Federal officer, but not less 
        frequently than annually.
            (2) Open meetings.--The meetings of a Youth Advisory 
        Council shall be open to the public unless the covered agency 
        head determines, in accordance with section 552b(c) of title 5, 
        United States Code, to close a meeting or portion of a meeting.
            (3) Agenda.--The agenda of a meeting of a Youth Advisory 
        Council shall be approved in advance by the applicable 
        designated Federal officer.
            (4) Requirement.--A Youth Advisory Council or subcommittee 
        of a Youth Advisory Council may not meet without the presence 
        of the applicable designated Federal officer (or a designee).
            (5) Public participation.--A person interested in the 
        proceedings of a Youth Advisory Council or interested in 
        providing comment on a matter before a Youth Advisory Council 
        may--
                    (A) attend meetings of the Youth Advisory Council;
                    (B) appear before the Youth Advisory Council; and
                    (C) file written comments with the Youth Advisory 
                Council.
            (6) Adjournment.--The designated Federal officer for a 
        Youth Advisory Council may adjourn the meeting of the Youth 
        Advisory Council if the designated Federal officer determines 
        it is in the public interest to do so.
    (d) Subcommittees.--A Youth Advisory Council may establish 
subcommittees as determined appropriate by the Youth Advisory Council.
    (e) Education.--Each covered agency head shall develop and provide 
to members of the Youth Advisory Council an educational curriculum, 
which shall include briefings on the organizational structure and work 
of the agency of the covered agency head.
    (f) Reports.--Not less frequently than annually, a Youth Advisory 
Council shall submit to the applicable covered agency head a report 
describing any recommendations of the Youth Advisory Council made in 
accordance with subsection (a).
    (g) Administrative Support.--The agency of a covered agency head 
shall provide administrative support to the Youth Advisory Council of 
the agency.
    (h) Applicability of FACA.--Section 1013 of title 5, United States 
Code, shall not apply to a Youth Advisory Council.
    (i) Applicability to Existing Councils.--The Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency may, in accordance with this Act, 
designate the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council as the 
Youth Advisory Council of the Environmental Protection Agency.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $250,000 to each of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the 
Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department 
of Commerce for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2035 for the purpose 
of carrying out this Act.
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